Rock, Paper, Shotgun

A hefty GTA4 patch has been released, which promises less-memory intensive (and better looking) shadows and performance boosters and… oh, this is minor, but splendid patch stuff. What makes this posting is what the patch actually removes. As in, the Rockstar Social Club application is no longer necessary to play the game – you log in on a web interface without another program sitting there eating your computer’s thinky-time. In short, you need a Social Club log in, but nothing else. It also allows you to buy the just released Grand Theft Auto episodes in-game, though The_B reports errors trying to buy in the UK, but we suspect that’s because of – er – something or another. Full change list follows.
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The notion of open game worlds has always appealed to me, ever since Elite. When there’s even the faintest whiff on a free roaming environment, or virtuality that I can go off an explore, I’m interested. It’s an impulse that leads me to spend endless hours in Stalker, or to expend an entire day driving around Fuel. But whatever game I play, I end up feeling somewhat dissatisfied. It’s kind of dissatisfaction that does not seem to be so common with linear or arena games. I think it’s to do with a specific tension that open world games create: between what the game is about, and what the environment – and its openness – implies.

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Yes, it’s actually coming out, on November 18th (or 21st in Europe). On one hand, it’s a shame, as it kills a good conspiracy theory in the head – though now does make me wonder why they haven’t given us Bully yet. On the other hand, it’s awesome, as it’s GTA4… on the PC. It’s genuinely a lovely game and it makes me a tad depressed I bought a year’s worth of Gold Membership for the 360 so I could play it multiplayer, and now I’m just going to play it on the PC instead.

That’ll teach me, eh?